NEWS FRIDAY • August 17, 2001  



No longer will any rabbit do for stew
Philip Brasher - Associated Press
Friday, August 17, 2001


Washington --- Not just any rabbit will do for stew, says the government.

After tinkering with the size of holes in Swiss cheese, the Agriculture Department now wants to set standards for old rabbits that are sold for stew meat.

''The industry asked for it, basically,'' said Jessica Faust, a spokeswoman for the Agriculture Department's Agricultural Marketing Service. She noted that the standards would be voluntary and that the industry reimburses the department for the cost of grading the quality of the meat.

The department already has standards for younger rabbits.

It also sets standards for fruits, vegetables and a variety of meat and poultry, including geese, ducks and pigeons. Pigeons? ''Go figure,'' said Faust.

The standards are used throughout the food industry to ensure consistency and determine pricing. Products that meet the standards can bear a special USDA seal or stamp.

Earlier this year, the department decided that Grade A Swiss cheese could have smaller holes to keep it from getting tangled in high-speed slicing machines.

The department's rabbit rules would add ''stewer'' rabbits to its standards for ''roaster and mature'' rabbits, classified as 6 months of age or older. Younger rabbits are classified as ''fryers.''

''This change is consistent with actual rabbit grower and breeding terminology,'' the department explained.

The government's rabbit standards cover the quantity and quality of meat and include rules about how many cuts, tears and other defects it can have.

Dee Blaha, a Florida rabbit farmer and secretary of the Southern Commercial Rabbit Producers Association, says the business ''is growing by leaps and bounds.''

''They're a safe meat. They don't take a lot of acreage to grow,'' she said.

But the industry is so obscure the department does not have statistics on U.S. rabbit production.

At the Agricultural Marketing Service, the regulation of rabbits is handled by the agency's poultry division. Officials were not sure why, although one suggested this answer: ''The Easter bunny delivers eggs.''

> ON THE WEB: Agricultural Marketing Service: www.ams.usda.gov/

Southern Commercial Rabbit Producers Association: www.fl-ag.com/rabbits

Why is the title in caps?? Why are you posting this?? This is not a cooking site, next you'll have something about seasoning roadkill. If you want your bud's to get the up to date recipe for viddles e-mail 'em. Try an stick to firearms related stuff.

Oly-M4gery, the last time I looked this forum was titled "General Discussion". Anything goes within reason. As for the caps, yes I don't like it either, but WTF if that's all you have to bitch about then you must have a pretty boring life. [:D] MMK

mmk, It's the little hours of a saturday morning and I'm here.............
I think it's a BS topic for this site, and he seems to post mostly BS.

And there was the whole web-police thing..........

Agreed, it's early/late. And I’m buzzed quite nicely. I’m not going to waste what few brain cells I have left, That still work on this.  OLY-M4 have a good weekend. [beer] mmk

[;)] right back at ya'

I only have one comment to make concerning  "stew". When cooking "Elephant Stew", whatever you do, if you think that you don't have enough "Elephant Meat" for the stew, do not add "Rabbit". You will find that people do not like "Hare" in their food.